SoFaygo – “Pink Heartz” review

This is the long-awaited full-length debut from Atlanta, Georgia up-&-comer SoFaygo. Cementing himself as one of the biggest faces in the plugg/pluggnB & rage scenes, he’s given us a dozen EPs within the last 7 years & has since signed to Travis Scott’s very own Cactus Jack Records a year & a half ago. Last we heard from him was when he dropped B4Pink & BabyJack over the summer following his placement in this year’s XXL Freshman Class, but is finally dropping Pink Heartz ahead of UTOPIA next month apparently.

“Transparency” kicks off the album with an airy yet drumless opener asking if you can feel his emotions whereas “Out” embraces a more delicate trap sound talking about working too hard. Ken Carson tags along for the rage-inducing “Hell Yeah” produced by Bakkwoods, BryceUnknwn & Trgc to keep it player, but then “Blitz V2” comes through with a cloudy sequel to “Blitz” off his 3rd EP War boasting that he doesn’t miss at all & that it gets scary that he wants to feel a blitz. himself.

Meanwhile on “Stay Awake”, we have Lil Uzi Vert coming into the picture on top of a synth-laced beat from Rafmade asking their lovers not to fall asleep on either one of them leading into the wavy “Me Too” talking about his desire to get fucked up under the influence. “Goin’ Back” returns to a cloudier vibe to drop some braggadocio just before “Another One” weaves some more synthesizers into the fold talking about how ain’t shit stopping but the cash flow.

“Slip” with Don Toliver finds the 2 calling out those who be cappin’ to their faces over a psychedelic trap instrumental while “I’ll Say” brings back the synths once more talking about having too much weed in his system. “Price” takes a more pillowy route going into detail of the cons that come with fame. “Fasho” goes into slower territory talking about already being on game while “Takeoff” with Gunna jumps on top of a rubbery trap beat from Pharrell cautioning their competition to stay in their lanes.

The song “Greed” works in some horns to acknowledge those who’re envious of them simply by looking in their eyes while the penultimate track “Marvelous” has a slower yet melodic tone to it talking about doing something excellent & being on his A-shit. “Forever” though serves as an explosive closer to the album where SoFaygo expresses his desire to live this life for eternity.

I’ve been following this dude a little bit before the Cactus Jack deal & now that Pink Heartz is finally here, I can say that it’s a full-length debut that most definitely proves to a wider audience what he’s capable of doing. It’s focused, the hunger is there & the trap production has some more plugg/rage undertones to it that I really enjoy Excited to hear where he goes from here under LaFlame’s wing.

Score: 3.5/5

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Jay Worthy – “What They Hittin’ 4” review

This is the 3rd mixtape from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada born albeit Compton, California raised emcee Jay Worthy. Being introduced to him in 2017 after The Alchemist produced his debut EP Fantasy Island from top to bottom, he would go onto drop 5 more EPs & a fantastic collab album with Larry June back in March called 2 P’z in a Pod even though initial plans of putting it out through Griselda Records fell through for whatever reason. Dude just put out the Harry Fraud-produced You Take the Credit, We’ll Take the Check a few months back & is now enlisting DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill behind the boards for What They Hittin’ 4.

“We Don’t Die Here” is a calm jazz rap opener talking about “live & let live” along with how you’re supposed to fly if you’re eternal like him whereas “95” takes a more rugged approach declaring himself to be a westside original which accurate considering that the CPT is a here he grew up. “The Gentleman” works in a bare soul sample so Jay can show a more classy side to himself just before “In New York” has a more cheery tone to it talking about his experiences in the Big Apple.

Meanwhile on “Thuggin’ (Psychedelic Ism)”, we have Jay reflects on what happened when he hit a tab of acid on top of a drumless yet synth-heavy instrumental leading into “Sweet Lies (Kiss the Sky)” returning to the boom bap talking about how it feels good inside to be deceived & needing to take his time. T.F tags along for “The Wine Connoisseur” returning to a more jazz-influenced sound expressing their love for wine & after the “Duccky’s Home” skit, MC Eiht comes into the picture for the dusty “A-Wax & O-Dog” talking about how real shit can get.

The song “This is It” with 211 has a spacier groove to it discussing getting anything they want with only a flick of a wrist while the penguin track “I Don’t Wanna Rap” goes into a more sunnier vibe instrumentally talking about wanting to relax. “Bitch I Miss You” however ends the album with a beat that sounds exactly like “No Blood No Sweat” by Mach-Hommy to reflect on a former lover of his that he genuinely misses.

In the 5 years I’ve been following this dude, What They Hittin’ 4 has to be my favorite thing he’s ever done & would absolutely recommend it to those who weren’t feeling his performances on the previous full-length he put out a few months ago. He comes a lot harder on the mic this time around to me personally & the production that Muggs cooks up here is a lot more varied in sound in contrast to the ruggedness of let’s say Rigz’ latest album Gold for example.

Score: 4.5/5

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Quadeca – “I Didn’t Mean to Haunt You” review

Quadeca is a 22 year old singer/songwriter, producer, YouTuber & rapper from Los Angeles, California whose early mixtapes Work in Progress, Nostalgia for the Now, Bad Internet Rapper & Out of Order were all received negatively as was the full-length studio debut album Voice Memos. His sophomore effort From Me to You proved to be decent & looks to make a stylistic departure on his 3rd album albeit deadAir Records debut given the contrastingly high praise nearly every teaser has had across the spectrum.

“sorry4dying” desires for his loved ones to heal from his death over an instrumental built around art pop, neo-psychedelia, alternative R&B, ambient, cinematic classical, glitch pop, folktronica, experimental hip hop, indietronica, new age, post-rock, emo rap & deconstructed club whereas “tell me a joke” fuses art pop, folktronica, glitch pop, chamber pop, alternative R&B, ambient pop, post-industrial, progressive pop, post-rock, trip hop & midwest emo to humorously cope with his passing.

He soon enough finds himself in spiritual limbo on “don’t mind me” bringing experimental hip hop, art pop, alternative R&B & neo-psychedelia together to talk about his mother reasonably being unable to move from her son not being with her anymore digging up old photos & looking at his belongings as a way of seeking some sort of closer just before the folktronica inspired “picking up hands” revisits his childhood home as a ghost to discover the repercussions of his death has had on those he cares deeply for.

“Born Yesterday” was my favorite single expanding beyond folktronica in favor of art pop, glitch pop, emo rap, ambient pop, progressive pop, dream pop, indie folk, neo-psychedelia & psychedelic folk of the 2 talking about watching his friends & family suffer leading into “house settling” featuring Danny Brown after the “memories we lost in translation” interlude attempts to have his family join him in the afterlife through a carbon monoxide poisoning as a way of curing his loneliness in the afterlife.

We get a bit of a post-punk vibe on “Knots” talking about walking around with ties around his neck & chest l prior to the songwriting during the piano-heavy “fantasyworld” originating from a poem Quadeca wrote as a kid flashing back to a point in the story when he was still alive. “Fractions of Infinity” blends neo-psychedelia, art pop, gospel, dream pop, progressive pop, emo rap, experimental hip hop, choral, ambient pop, trip hop, alternative R&B & post-rock realizing it won’t be enough to emphasize how he feels until the closer “cassini’s division” becomes one with nothingness.

“song to go home to” starts the deluxe run suggesting the chances of him picking up this individual from their walk home could be the last while the ambient psychedelic folk single “spring summer fall” sings about looking across the house & the baby steps not taking so long. The atmospherically melancholic “Gone Gone” sings about disappearing without a trace but after the “knots” interlude, “i’m not ready for heaven” comes to that very realization over a guitar & an accordion. The final bonus track “new goodbye” reads off as more of a 45 second outro amending his initial farewell.

The self-awareness of Quadeca’s early material mostly being trash was a huge sign of I Didn’t Mean to Haunt You marking a turning point in his career & it does so with a conceptual artistic reinvention. His production embraces the sounds of art pop, folktronica, glitch pop, experimental hip hop, ambient pop, neo-psychedelia, emo rap, post-industrial, alternative R&B, chamber pop, ambient, cinematic classical, indietronica, new age, post-rock, deconstructed club, progressive pop, trip hop, midwest emo, dream pop, psychedelic folk, post-punk, gospel & choral with the lyrics portraying cohesive tale of purgatory.

Score: 4.5/5

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Artifacts – “No Expiration Date”

The Artifacts are a duo from Newark, New Jersey consisting of El Da Sensei & Tame 1. Their 1994 full-length debut Between a Rock & a Hard Place that just celebrated it’s 28 year anniversary last Tuesday is widely considered to be a hip hop classic & their sophomore effort That’s That in the spring of ‘97 happened to be a great follow-up also, but wouldn’t be until 2013 where they officially got back together by landing features on other artists’ projects. But with DJ Kaos prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve have decided to enlist New York producer Buckwild of D.I.T.C. behind the boards for their 3rd full-length album & their 1st in a quarter of a century.

“Ask N****s” is a stellar way to start it all with it’s piano-infused boom bap instrumental with some pianos & angelic vocals so El & Tame challenge to question anyone how they bring it from the Bronx to New Jersey whereas “The Way I Feel” has a more rawer approach to it as Sensei & Tame flex their lyrical prowesses. “Better Music” works in a soul sample acknowledging that everyone knows they be movin’ leading into the strained “Facts” talking about how they ones you gon’ call & the horn sections.

Moving on to “Come Alive”, we have the Artifacts & Big Joker boasting that they’re too fresh just before Ras Kass joining the trio for the grimy “Real Rap” telling y’all that’s exactly what you’re listening to as such. Now I totally understand where they’re coming from, but I respectfully feel the term “real hip hop” is nonexistent because music is subjective & a lot of heads I know have their own interpretations of what “real hip hop is”. A-F-R-O however comes into the picture for the crazed “Contagious” informing y’all that the format is sickening. The song “Raw Garden State” comes through with a rugged ode to their home state while the penultimate track “Take a Trip” weaves some strings in to reminisce. “3 4 the Crew” is an upbeat closer acknowledging that this was overdue.

I really had no worries going into No Expiration Date considering how great their last 2 albums are in their own rights & sure enough, we got a near-perfect comeback from the revered Jersey duo here & it’ll confidently go down as one of the best. Not just because I personally feel that El & Tame haven’t lost a step in terms of their lyricism & chemistry at all, but Buckwild reveals himself to be the perfect person for them to get behind the boards since he produced a couple of my favorite songs of theirs & brings it as raw as them.

Score: 4.5/5

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Drake & 21 Savage – “Her Loss” review

This is a brand new collaborative album between Toronto, Ontario, Canada rapper, singer/songwriter, actor & businessman Drake along with London, England, United Kingdom born albeit Atlanta, Georgia raised rapper, songwriter & producer 21 Savage. One is an pop rap icon starting out as an actor before becoming a Lil Wayne protege in the late-2000s & the other beginning to turn heads in the Atlanta trap scene after landing a spot in the iconic 2016 XXL Freshman Class. Their paths have crossed a handful of times within the last 5 years with bangers like “Mr. Right Now” & even “Knife Talk”. Last we heard from them was when Drizzy dropped the mediocre house album Honestly, Nevermind this past summer in the form of the standout closer “Jimmy Cooks” & are now joining forces to drop Her Loss.

“Rich Flex” kicks off the album with some braggadocio on top of an instrumental from Tay Keith, BoogzDaBeast, FNZ & Vinylz with some hi-hats & angelic vocals during 21’s verse prior to the sample switching into some keys for Drake’s whereas “Major Distribution” embraces the piano trap sound even further talking about going stupid. “On BS” has a cloudier vibe to it comparing their partners to WWE Hall of Famer as well as 4-time WWE Women’s Champion & former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Lita, but then “BackOutsideBoyz” comes through with the first of 4 Drake solo cuts on the album & my personal favorite talking about the 6 God coming back over a synth-trap beat produced by Rio Leyva alongside Taz Taylor & Dez Wright of Internet Money Records.

Meanwhile on “Privileged Rappers”, we have Drizzy & 21 expressing their desire to fuck bitches in banks accompanied by a cloudy trap instrumental from 40 & Earl on the Beat leading into “Spin ‘Bout U” flipping an R&B joint talking about coming out of their bodies for their significant other. “Hours in Silence” has a more moodier sound to it seeking to turn their bitches up just before the syrupy “Treacherous Twins” laced with the help of Boi-1da paying tribute to their soulmates & the line about 21 not showing an ID at the club because they know he’s 21 is incredibly witty.

“Circo Loco” obnoxiously samples the Daft Punk jam “1 More Time” to get boastful with Drizzy even confessing that he did the Free Larry Hoover concert with Kanye West last winter solely for J. Prince’s sake only for Travis Scott to come into the picture for the pillowy “Pussy & Millions” encouraging to bring on the cons of having more money. “Broke Boys” is well-structured 2-parter featuring co-production from Wheezy taunting all the bum ass motherfuckers out there while the 2nd Drizzy solo joint “Middle of the Ocean” dives into boom bap turf talking about how he’s been a player.

As for “Jumbotron Shit Poppin’”: I really like the beat that F1LTHY & his brother Oogie Mane of Working on Dying & Cubeatz whip up along with the subject matter asking if anyone really want smoke with Drake, but the fact that he called himself “a real vamp” like he thinks he’s Playboi Carti when he’s actually a decade older than me during his verse is fucking embarrassing. The song “More M’s” has to be my favorite on the album from the dark Metro Boomin’ production to the lyrics talking about making more paper than taking Ls while “3AM on Glenwood” is the only 21 Savage solo track on Her Loss for some reason although it doesn’t disappoint with it’s wavy instrumental & bars like the Steph Curry/Stephon Marbury one or the one where he hollers at the hobbit to help get his brother out of jail. “I Guess It’s Fuck Me” though ends it all with a Drake solo cut on top of a bare piano calling out a woman who left him abruptly.

It’s definitely not on the same caliber as Without Warning or even What a Time to Be Alive, but both these guys managed to give us a decent collab effort here & one that’s slightly better Honestly, Nevermind. Their chemistry is certainly strong enough to carry a whole project, but the production throughout is just very mild & Drake has more presence throughout than 21 does.

Score: 3/5

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Boldy James – “Mr. 10-08” review

Boldy James is a 39 year old MC from Detroit, Michigan who broke out in the fall of 2013 off his Alchemist produced debut M.1.C.S. (My 1st Chemistry Set). He would later go on to land a contract with Nas’ independent label Mass Appeal Records for a little while before getting locked up but once Boldy came home, Uncle Al would help get his name back out there once getting out by dropping the Boldface EP around Christmas 2019 & then the sophomore album The Price of Tea in China at the beginning of last year. This was followed up with the Sterling Toles-produced Manger on McNichols which was as equally fantastic, but the Griselda Records-backed Versace Tape EP was a tad bit disappointing given how rushed it was. Bo Jackson though would become his most critically acclaimed work to date & Super Tecmo Bo was almost as great for an EP. But not even a month after linking up with Montréal, Québec, Canada beatsmith Nicholas Craven for the well regarded Fair Exchange No Robbery, he’s enlisting Toroto, Ontario producer Futurewave for his 6th album.

“The Whole Hundro” is a drumless yet groovy opener with Boldy talking what he’s gonna do if someone goes against the grain whereas “Mortermir Milestone” takes a more jazzy boom bap route coming clean that he’s still on the corner rocking them Sawyers. “Smacked” has a more ghostly atmosphere to it talking about the hustler life just before the synth-laced “Dormin’s” gets back on that 1 shit & I think 2100 Bagz did a pretty solid job with the hook here.

However on “My Double Trigger”, we have Futurewave working in a chipmunk soul sample for Boldy to talk about blasting any motherfucker who’s dumb enough to run up on him leading into the drumless yet dark “Disco Fever” talking about having tricky moves. “Could Be Worse” though has a more glossy yet slicker sound talking about putting a little bit of the dope in a bag & a purse, but then “Flag on the Play” has a more calmer vibe sonically advising to stand down ‘cause that bag’s on the way.

The guitar licks throughout the penultimate track “Jam Master J” are an infectious touch to the instrumental as he intricately talks about being the King of Rock & referred to as the Jam Master with “Indivisible” closing the album with a shimmery boom bap beat that switches up into a soulful loop during the 2nd half praying to God to ensure that these streets don’t eat him alive.

It hasn’t even been a little over a month since [Fair Exchange No Robbery quickly became amongst the greatest bodies of work that Boldy has ever put out thus far & here we are at the beginning of November with him dropping another classic that’s just as amazing if not better. Much like that previous album, here you got a skilled MC from the 313 continuing to tell tales of his crime life with one of few best producers in Canada right now masterfully resurrecting the boom bap style that the predecessor respectfully lacked in.

Score: 4.5/5

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Darby O’Trill – “The Tomb” review

Darby O’Trill is a 30 year old MC from Key Largo, Florida who first emerging in the fall of 2018 off his full-length debut Blood, Guts & a Whole Lotta Love. He would go on to follow it with Fester almost a year later & has extensively been working with Chapter 17/Psychopathic Records in-house producer Devereaux by bringing him into the cut to fully produce his 3rd album Piecemeal to critical acclaim during the COVID-19 pandemic. Darby’s last full-length Gully came out this past spring under Lyrikal Snuff Productionz & after dropping his 5th EP Amputate last month, he’s ringing in Hallowicked by giving the underground his 5th album.

“Vampiro Wrestled with ICP & the Misfits & I Think That’s Hella Fresh” after the “Path to the Tomb” intro is an ominous trap opener talking about recapturing the sure of former JCW World Juggalo Heavyweight Champion, 3-time JCW World Juggalo Team Champion & アイアンマンヘビーメタル級チャンピオン Mad Man Pondo acting like former 2-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion, FTW Champion, ECW World Television Champion, 3-time ECW World Tag Team Champion, JCW World Juggalo Heavyweight Champion, NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, IWGPジュニアヘビー級チャンピオン & the longest reigning XPW World Heavyweight Champion Sabu comparing himself to the current 3-time GCW World Heavyweight Champion Nick Gage known for being a BJW認定タッグチャンピオン & a 4-time CZW World Heavyweight Champion in his prime or 5-time JCW World Juggalo Heavyweight Champion 2 Tuff Tony mixed with former JCW World Juggalo Tag Team Champion Mosh Pit Mike prior to Shaggytheairhead & .strife both tagging along for “They Sell Holy Water on Late Night TV” to criticize religion over some bass & hi-hats. “Harvesting Blood for Absolutely No Reason But to Do It” returns to an eerier trap sound with the title saying at all as far as subject matter goes just before Killator comes into the picture for the cloudy “I Think I’m Stuck in Hell, I May Need to Call a Friend” talking about being unable to tell if they’re in purgatory or not.

Continuing from there with “Orange Bloodstains on the Floor of My Kitchen”, we have Darby spitting the wicked shit on top of an uncanny trap beat just before “Don’t You Dare Look in That There Basement, I Told You Not to Do It” with Damien Quinn finds the 2 demonically cautioning not to even think about looking in the titular basement. The song “StillHoein2kForever” weaves some prominent hi-hats in to drop some wicked sex tape while Shaggytheairhead returns for the penultimate track “Idiots at a Comic Convention” to rep Juggalos over a sitar.

“I Puked All Over My Brand Nu Trueys (WTF!)” is the official closer to the album from it’s shimmering instrumental to the sung delivery admitting that he had to lose his mind to find out who he really was & “The Barista at the Coffee Junt Never Gets My Name Right” truly ends the album as a bonus cut, which I’m happy with considering that I initially liked it when it was initially released as a stand alone single at the Gathering of Dreams this past summer.

Gully to me has quickly become a modern day wicked shit classic in my opinion & Amputate was a fresh prelude of what was to come today, but The Tomb absolutely has me excited for what’s to come from the Swamp Society down the road. Devereaux’s production finds him expanding his sound much like a lot of the stuff he’s done in the last year & Darby lethally dropping the wicked shit with some wig-flipping flows.

Score: 4/5

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Drip Drops – Self-Titled review

Drip Drops is a West Coast duo from California consisting of Inland Empire up-&-comer S.Dub & the original P-Town Balla himself D-Loc of prior Kottonmouth Kings fame. Both parties initially landed their own spots on the Kingmaker Music compilation The Harvest, but are now joining forces together for a full-length debut under Loc’s independently owned P.T.B. Records imprint.

“Get Wet” is a fun opener to the album with Drip Drops talking about keeping the party popping whereas “Bic Bros” blends trap with hyphy encouraging all the weed smokers in the building to bounce & burn an ounce of that good kush with them. “Strains” takes a more spacious route in terms of sound to rattle off some of their favorite weed strains hence the title just before the flute-tinged “Shine It Up” talks about shining like the rims on a brand new truck.

Moving on with “Who Want the Smoke?”, we have Loc & S. Dub asking if anyone really wants beef with either one of them over some synth-based production leading into the bouncy “S.a.B. (Smoke a Blunt)” encouraging the listener to light up an L with them. “Hello Modelo” has more of a hyphy flare to it talking about alcohol, but then “Talking My Shit” acknowledges that they’re both doing just that on the regular over a bombastic beat. The track “We Kings” weaves some pianos referring to themselves as royalty & prior to the outro, “Drips from the Bong” ends the album with their own spin on the Cypress Hill jam “Hits from the Bong”.

Now if the glorified D-Loc solo album 25 to Life turned you off to P.T.B. Records, then you’re gonna wanna check out Drip Drops’ self-titled debut here because it’s the best product that we’ve gotten from Shaky Bonez’ indie label thus far. The mix is better & I feel like S.Dub gets a really good look throughout whether it be the verses that he wrote for Loc or the way that one another pings off each other on the mic.

Score: 3.5/5

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Smino – “Luv 4 Rent” review

Smino is a 31 year old rapper, singer/songwriter & producer from St. Louis, Missouri who caught my attention in the spring of 2017 off his impressive full-length debut blkswn. This was followed up with his 2nd & 3rd mixtapes NØIR & She Already Decided, but is re-emerging in the form of his long-awaited sophomore album backed by Motown Records following his departure from Interscope Records & the formation of the supergroup Zoink Gang with Buddy as well as Guapdad 4000 & J.I.D in 2019.

After the “4rm da Source” intro, the first song “No L’s” is a smooth opener to the album with Smino confessing all this stuff on his mind prior to J. Cole tagging along for neo-soul/pop rap hybrid “90 Proof” talking about being a real one. Doechii comes into the picture for the groovy “Pro Freak” to describe their preferences in a partner referencing the 4-seater catchphrase of 16-time WWE world champion, 4-time WWE tag team champion & 5-time WWE United States Champion John Cena, but then “Ole Ass Kendrick” has a more dementing trap vibe to it talking about who he was playing in his car as he & his girl got busy.

Moving on from there with “Louphoria”, we have Cruza joining Smino for an alternative R&B ballad about being obsessed with their partners to the point of being unable to get sleep just before “Blu Billy” has a bit of an abstract hip hop flare to it responding to those who say he doesn’t have the heat. “Matinee” makes a pretty accurate comparison to what the world really is over some pop rap/trap production with neo-soul undertones even though I personally found the “Broccoli Lesnar” bar to be cringe as fuck as a wrestling fan whereas “Modennaminute” with Lucky Daye & Phoelix returns with an alternative R&B/pop rap fusion talking about having one another on their minds.

“Defibrillator” has a more neo-soul/hip hop vibe to it confessing that he’ll be loved when no one’s around while “Garden Lady” embraces a groovier vibe talking about how shit’s wicked right now & a lot of it ain’t funny to him. “Settle Down” with Ravyn Lenae is an upbeat ode to still doing their best & being blessed while the Lil Uzi Vert-assisted “Pudgy” finds the 2 flirting wjth bitches accompanied by a jazzy trap sound. “Curtains” comes through with a 6 & a half minute futuristic trap banger talking about how he be speaking the truth with Lee & Love” being a soulful closer to the album expressing his desire to grow old with his soulmate.

“Plead the .45th” significantly increased my anticipation for this album considering how mid of a tape NØIR was 4 years back & I gotta say that’s even better than Few Good Things when SABA dropped it earlier this year. Smino continues to expand on his versatility by refining the sounds of that previous project & his songwriting gradually improving.

Score: 3.5/5

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Armani Caesar – “The Liz 2” review

This is the official full-length debut album from Buffalo emcee Armani Caesar. Coming up in 2011 by dropping her debut mixtape Hand Bag Addict under Buff City Records, she would go on to follow it up with her sophomore tape Caesar’s Palace in the fall of 2015 & her debut EP Pretty Girls Get Played Too a few years later. Then when the whole world shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020, she signed to Griselda Records & totally refined her style on her last project The Liz that same fall. But as the 2-year anniversary of that EP approaches this weekend, Mani’s back in the cut for a sequel.

After the intro, Westside Gunn comes into the picture for the guitar-woven boom bap opener “Paula Deen” produced by Camoflauge Monk referencing former 2-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, 2-time WCW World Television Champion, 3-time WCW World Tag Team Champion & 5-time WWE United States Champion Lex Luger whereas “Diana” takes a more lavish route to spit that raunchy shit & the Kodak Black verse was completely unexpected yet I don’t mind it at all much like both of his appearances on Kendrick’s latest album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers this past spring. After the skit, “Mel Gibson” dives into dustier turf thanks to Daringer so Mani can charismatically flex just before Benny the Butcher & Stove God Cook$ come into the picture for the grimy “$100 Hiccup” reminding everyone how nice all 3 of them are in their own rights.

Continuing from there with “Survival of the Littest”, we have Mani over some boom bap production from Sovren justifiably explaining why she’s different than these other bitches in the game right now since a lot of females in the mainstream get a lot of unjust hate this day in age prior to the cloudy yet organ-laced “Queen City” admiring that she’s all about money this year. “Liz Claiborne Jr.” is a remarkably well structured 2 parter comparing herself to the late fashion designer, but then “Meth & Mary” picks it up from there with a sumptuous ballad about wanting a love like Method Man & Mary J. Blige in “I’ll Be There for You (You’re All I Need to Get By”.

“Ice Age” has a more colder tone to the instrumental fittingly expressing her love for all the finer things in this life while “1st Wives Club” brings a more jazzy boom bap flare as Mani’s just singing her ass off telling her man that he doesn’t own her. “Big Mood” talks about having stacks on deck over a more groovier instrumental while the symphonic “El Puro” links up with Conway the Machine so that they can both warn everyone to stay the fuck out of their lines.

The song “That Money Maka” speaks on using what she gots over a bare loop that’s calming to the ear while the penultimate track “Snowfall” resurrects the R&B sounds of “1st Wives Club” except this time she’s singing on top of some piano chords singing that she’s in beast mode & counting her Ms. However, I find “Sike” with Queendom Come to be a bit of a mediocre closer to the album as it’s basically a generically mediocre ass-shaker’s anthem.

The Liz was an impressive departure from the styles of Mani’s pre-Griselda work, but I recommend that those who’re still sleeping on her better wake the fuck up because this sequel right here as a full-length debut sees the 1st Lady of the Buffalo empire coming into her own stylistically. She‘s becoming versatile than before from the strip-club hit at the end to the more R&B & hardcore boom bap cuts on here with the lyricism coming from a more personal place.

Score: 4/5

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